Neopronouns in Action #052: The New Bridge
Neopronouns: ser/sera/raph/seraphim which follow the same rules as he/him/his/himself
Replace he with ser
Replace him with sera
Replace his with raph
Replace himself with seraphim
EX:
"He is going to adopt a new puppy soon, as soon as he gets a fence set up around his yard so the puppy can go outside without him having to walk it. His uncle is going to help set up the fence, since he has a set of power tools he’s letting him use, since he lost his. He's going to buy toys and train the puppy himself.”
Becomes:
"Ser is going to adopt a new puppy soon, as soon as ser gets a fence set up around raph yard so the puppy can go outside without sera having to walk it. Raph uncle is going to help set up the fence, since he has a set of power tools he’s letting sera use, since ser lost raph. Ser's going to buy toys and train the puppy seraphim.”
= = =
Raph arm hooked through Dave's for subtle support that ser was exceedingly grateful for, they entered the door of the restauraunt together, with Dave opening the door with his free hand, and leading sera into the dimly-lit, "cozy" steakhouse.
The reception area was full, with a large group of people sitting on a cushioned bench off to the side with two small kids playing together on the floor. Ser expected to be held aside to wait, but to raph surprise, one of the employees, dressed in a black apron with purple trim, came forward to greet them and lead them to a table right away.
Ser shared a puzzled, silent glance with Dave at their good fortune, but they followed the server without question. Ser was assuming that the larger group was still waiting for the rest of their party to show up. Or maybe there weren't enough larger tables to accomodate them yet.
They were led further into the restaraunt past booths and tables of chatting patrons, the sizzle of steaks audible though the brightly lit doorway that clearly led to the kitchen as they walked past it, and the large bar area next to it. Country music played over the speakers.
They were given a booth along the far wall, below a colorful mural of a golden eagle sitting on top of a cactus eating a snake. The waitor excused themselves, saying, "I'll be back to start your drinks in just a minute or two--" and gesturing a circle with their order pad before moving off at a fast-walk. Probably going to help with the large group at the door.
"Yes, that's fine..." Ser said, a bit too late for the waitor to hear sera.
Shaking his head, Dave released raph arm so ser could slide seraphim onto the bench, grateful for the weight it took off raph ankle, and the thick, soft cushion that was gentle against raph still-tender shoulder.
Ser couldn't help but breathe a quiet sigh of releaf now that ser was off raph feet. Dave, sliding onto the bench across from sera, furrowed his brown in concern. "That was really hurting you that much?" He asked, his voice pitched low for privacy depite the fact that most of the table around them were deserted. As far as ser could see, there was only one person sitting even remotely near them, at a table by themselves across the floor.
Did ser really want to admit how much raph ankle was really hurting sera? It felt like knives were twisting in the joint every time ser moved it.
It was with reluctance that ser admitted, "Yeah."
Ser knew it was ridiculous, but some part of sera was insistin that if ser didn't admit how much it hurt, that somehow it wouldn't hurt as much. And that didn't make any sense at all. Admitting how much pain ser was in wouldn't magically make it worse.
But there was another reason ser'd been trying to avoid talking about how much pain ser was in, and it was because discussing raph ankle inevitably led to...
"Lee, I really think you should press charges."
This was exactly what ser had been trying to avoid.
"That's too much effort." Ser said, already tired of the conversation.
Dave knew ser well enough by now to realized that "too much effort" didn't mean what it sounded like.
He folded his hands on the table, tapping his fingers together rhythmically. "Which part is too much effort?" He asked patiently.
Ser slumped back against the seat of the booth. "All of it."
Dave wasn't deterred. "Is it because you're scared Blair'll retaliate?"
Ser shook raph head, regretting the fact that ser was out of ibuprophen. The ache in raph shoulder was slowly becoming more and more part of raph awareness. "No, it's not that. It's – the whole thing. All the paperwork, having to go to court, having to deal with the cops, I just can't do all that."
Dave opened his mouth to respond, but the waitor hustled back at that moment, looking slightly flutstered and hurriedly saying apologetically as they slid a small basket of rolls onto the table, "Sorry about that wait --but my name's Trish, my pronouns are she/her--"
And she gestured to a small black and yellow pin that ser hadn't noticed until now on her lapel-- "and I'll be serving you today. Just be careful with the rolls, they're fresh out of the oven, and I mean right out of the oven, so they'll be really hot."
Considering ser had been eying them since ser saw them, the warning was appreciated. Ser could see the steam rolling up away from them.
"Can I get you two started with some drinks?" Trish the waitor asked.
"I'll take a sweet tea with lemon." Dave said, at almost the same time that ser said, "I'll have a root beer."
Trish the waitor laughed a little, clearly nervous, but waved them off when they both opened their mouths again to apologize. "So one root beer and one sweet tea with lemon?"
After glancing at Dave to make sure he wasn'tgoing to say the same thing, ser affirmed, "Yes, please."
"Alright. And would you like any appetizers today? Today we've got a special on the onion rings, and we also have mozzarella sticks, and fried okra."
Ser was splurging with raph tax return, so, as ser'd planned with Dave ahead of time on the drive over, ser got an order of the mozzarella sticks, an an order of onion rings for seraphim, (they were good cold), and then another order of onion rings for Dave, who'd never had them cold, but was curious enough to try, especially because ser was paying for it.
Dave ordered some kind of steak with a baked potato and fries, and ser got the fried catfish, with a baked sweet potato and mashed potatos.
Trish the waitor raised her eyebrows when they were done, and said with a smile, "Wow, you guys must be hungry today!" Then read their order back to them to make sure it was right, and went off to get their drinks.
Ser reached out for the bread basket, and immediately had to snatch raph fingers back at the heat. She really hadn't been exaggerating.
Seeing Dave watch sera, ser made an exaggerated grimacing pout, and Dave shook his head in amusement. "Just don't burn yourself." He said, "And you can have them all, by the way, I never cared for them."
Ser pretended to gasp in horror, then turned it into an evil laugh – "Mwahaha, more for me then!" And ser gladly pulled the basket over to raph side of the table. Still too hot to eat, though.
"And, look." Ser said, sacrificing the tips of raph fingers to tear one of the rolls in half so it would cool down faster, "We can talk about...that...after we're done eating, alright? This is the first time I've been in a restaraunt in five years. I just want to be able to enjoy good food I didn't have to make myself, deal?"
Propping his hands up under his chin as he watched sera rip more of the rolls in half, ser didn't miss the affectionate smile on his face. "Deal." He said.
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